Hunting With Nuka
by Harley-Cat
Summary: It was a small, but signifigant memory...one that Kovu would never forget.


(Characters belong to Disney)

Hunting with Nuka

Kovu rolled uncomfortably in his cave, feeling Kiara's sleeping presence nearby.

Even though he and the other outlanders had been accepted into Pride Rock, he couldn't help but remember the lives that had been lost-his mother, Zira's, and his half-brother, Nuka's. Their lost souls hung over him like a vapor, drowning him with grief.

Kiara opened her eyes slowly to look at her troubled mate, licking his cheek affectionately. Kovu smiled weakly and reassured her that all was well. Lying down to a more comfortable position, he closed his eyes and shifted his memories to a time long ago, when he had been a small cub and Nuka, a teenager.

As he fell asleep, Kovu's mind drifted to a particular memory, one that would stay with him forever. The day they went hunting.

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"Nuka! Get your lousy butt over here!"

The scruffy, black-maned lion lifted his head to look up at his frowning mother, smiling sheepishly in a pathetic attempt to look charming.

"Yes, Mother?"

The mother lioness, Zira, shoved Kovu forward with her paw.

"It's time you taught Kovu how to properly hunt. The chosen one must be flawless at everything if he is to defeat Simba."

Nuka made a face at his younger brother, resentful that he wasn't the chosen one. It wasn't fair.

But instead, Nuka smiled sappily at his mother, desperate to win her approval.

"Of course, Mother. I'll go take the little chosen one out and we'll bring you back some fresh kill."

"There is to be no 'we'll'. I could care less about your kill. You're job is only to teach Kovu."

Zira glared at her eldest son, disgusted that she had produced someone so hapless.

"S-sure, Mother. I can do that. We'll be back."

Motioning his brother to follow him, Nuka turned and trotted off towards the grassy plains outside the outlands, praying that this event would win Mother over in some way. Kovu followed behind.

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"Now, pay attention, termite! Today, we're gonna be hunting for rabbits."

Kovu cocked his head, puzzled.

"There aren't any rabbits in the outlands."

"There is in this area, nitwit. Now watch and learn. I'm gonna get me a rabbit and Mother's gonna be proud!"

Kovu watched, fascinated, as Nuka crouched low in the grass, tail flicking cautiously from side to side, spotting a large, plump rabbit in the distance. Dinner was served.

"Aaaagh!"

Bellowing with excitement, Nuka shot forward like a bullet, chasing after the rabbits with his scrawny legs.

Kovu ran too, mimicking his elder brother, eager to please Mother with a large kill.

Nuka closed in on a rabbit and pounced.

A moment later, the rabbit's body was clamped firmly in his jaws. Setting his kill down, Nuka grinned proudly; Mother would have a fine meal tonight.

Kovu, on the other hand, was not having as much luck.

The rabbits seemed to be too fast for his small legs to chase after. Again and again, they slipped out of his reach, avoiding his cubbish claws. Nuka watched with mild amusement, satisfied that her was at least better than Kovu at SOMETHING.

Panting hopelessly, Kovu collapsed on the ground and looked fearfully at the setting sun. Mother was going to be so mad at him. She was going to be so MAD.

"The sun is beginning to set. Let's go home."

Kovu blinked frantically at Nuka.

"But-but I haven't caught anything yet! What is Mother going to say?!"

" Too bad. Let's go."

Picking up his rabbit, Nuka marched ahead of his younger brother, thrilled at this beautiful turn of events. Now Mother would see that HE truly deserved to be the chosen one. He would be noticed at last.

Kovu followed Nuka, bowing his head in shame and misery. As they trudged on, he began to cry softly, ashamed that he had been completely unsuccessful.

Nuka stopped and turned to Kovu, setting down his rabbit.

"What are you crying for? Buck up!"

But the poor cub continued to sob pitifully, so worried of what his mother would do to him.

Nuka stared at the remorseful cub with unhappy nostalgia; he had felt that grief and sorrow in his heart since the day he had crawled into existence. He remembered all those times when his mother had broken his heart, all those painful memories of his wasted cubhood.

As they continued to walk along, Kovu's sobs seemed to regress into soft, quiet moans. The outlands were not too far ahead.

Zira bounded out to meet them, eager to revel in Kovu's success.

"How was it? What did you get?"

Kovu was frozen in fear. He couldn't tell her that he hadn't caught anything. He was doomed.

And then, to his surprise, Nuka placed the dead rabbit at his feet, a strangely solemn expression on his face.

"Kovu caught this rabbit, Mother. He did well."

Kovu didn't understand it. Why was Nuka suddenly helping him?

Zira stared down at the rabbit proudly, reaching a paw out to pat Kovu's head.

"Well, done, son. I knew that you could do it. It is a very good rabbit."

Her loving expression melted into a disapproving glare as she came back to Nuka.

"Why are YOU carrying HIS kill? He did the work and not you. Carry your own rabbit."

Nuka looked down at the ground, inwardly cursing himself for his softness. He had really wanted to please Mother but was haunted by the familiar face of the neglected cub he had been. He knew what it was like to be frowned upon.

Turning, Nuka walked off to the caves, deciding to leave the little termite to enjoy his glory.

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"Nuka?"

It was later that night; all the outlanders were asleep.

Nuka was curled up in a corner, far away from the others. His front faced the wall.

Kovu pawed his older brother gently, trying to find out if he was asleep or awake.

"Nuka?"

Climbing over him, Kovu saw that he was asleep. In sleep, Nuka's face was both sad and serious, as if he were reminiscing on painful events from the past, re-living them.

Smiling affectionately at his brother, Kovu leaned forward and licked his cheek.

"Thanks, Nuka. For everything."


End file.
